| Summary : A Neolithic round cairn excavated by Mortimer in September 1893 "during seven delightful days of the most beautiful summer which England has experienced for many long years". At the time, the barrow was 50 feet in "medium diameter" and 8 feet high. In 1971, the Ordnance Survey recorded it as sprread by ploughing, and measuring 28 metres in diameter and up to 1.2 metres high. Mortimer found 5 cists beneath the mound, all formed by stone slabs set upright into the original ground surface, and all roofed with similar stone slabs. Some were also paved. In the order described by Mortimer, cist 1 was to the north, orientated north-south, measuring 5 feet by 3.5 feet. It contained the remains of an adult inhumation plus a leaf arrowhead. The presence of fox and badger remains highlights the amount of disturbance. Cist 2 was to the west, aligned east-west, and was 9.5 feet by a maximum of 5 feet. It contained only a few fragments of bone. Cist 3 was at the centre, aligned east-west, 6 feet by 3.25 feet, with a crouched adult male inhumation at the west end. At the east end were the bones of an adult female and another adult. Cist 4, to the south, was aligned north-south, 9 feet by 5 feet, but contained no trace of a burial. Cist 5, to the east, was aligned east-west, 6 feet by 3.5 feet, contained a crouched adult inhumation. Stones of various sizes had been piled around each cist to support the uprights, and around the central cist this had formed a slight inner mound. Mortimer alsostated that around and over the central cist were 2 deposits of mostly articulated ox bones. Within the mound itself was a cremation with food vessel, a child burial with a Beaker, and scattered bones, flints and Neolithic potsherds. |
More information : (SE 78466651) Hedon Howe (NR) (1)
Round barrow known as 'Hedon Howe' measuring 50 ft in diameter and
8 ft high was excavated in 1893. Five stone cists were discovered
(see plan).
Cist 1 Contained a disturbed inhumation burial, together with a
leaf-shaped flint arrowhead.
Cist 2 Contained a few pieces of bone.
Cist 3 Contained a fragmented food vase together with cremated
bones. At the west end a flexed burial was seen (A) and at the east
end were the displaced bones of a female (B). Part of a third
skeleton was also seen (Photo)
Cist 4 This had no interment.
Cist 5 Contained a crouched inhumation.
Close above the north end of cist 2 were the bones of a child
together with a "drinking cup". Near cist 3 were "many potsherds of a
large round-bottomed dish-shaped vessel with overturned lip." Plan.
(2)
A round barrow, 28m in diameter, spread by ploughing, but still
attaining a maximum height of 1.2m on the north side. Resurveyed at
1:2500. (3)
This is Mortimer barrow 281. It possibly has an inner cairn. The
cists are primary, with burials associated with grave goods, beakers
and food vessels being secondary. The cists predate the construction
of the mound. Cist 3 was central within the barrow and had a flagged
floor. Cist 4 had been disturbed. As referred to above the was a
secondary child burial close to cist 2. The child was accompanied by
a beaker, classified as Clarke S3(W). Another secondary burial, that
of an adult with a food vessel, was found close to cist 3. (4-4a)
The Neolithic/Bronze Age round barrow described by the previous
authorities was still visible as a cropmark and mapped from good
quality air photographs. (Morph No. HH.119.1.1).
This description is based on data from the RCHME MORPH2 database.
(5)
Hedon Howe. Listed by Kinnis as a chambered Neolithic round cairn. (6) |